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    Guest

    About the numbers

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Soccer fans in this part of the world sometimes get too caught up in attendance and TV numbers. For years we’ve had to defend the sport’s place in society and those numbers help to justify our position that soccer has “arrived”/keep us up at night worrying about what the “soccer haters” will think.
    The truth is the sport doesn’t need to be defended any longer. We don’t need to obsess on the numbers.
    They can still be interesting though. Take this past week’s First Kick numbers. Including the CONCACAF Champions League games there were 10 games played in MLS stadiums last week. The attendance figures were impressive, even more so when you consider how early in the year they came.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    47658 - Toronto
    27000 – Los Angeles
    23433 - Seattle
    21000 - Vancouver
    20906 - Dallas
    20438 - Portland
    16314 – DC United
    14746 -- Colorado
    14464 -- Chivas
    10525 – San Jose
    When you consider the San Jose number is a sell out those figures are even more impressive.
    Keeping the focus on Canada, the Vancouver v Montreal figure ranks that game in the top 5 all-time in terms of most attended soccer games involving two Canadian club teams. It was the second highest attended game of that description in the MLS era. There were 21,436 at BMO Field for Toronto v Montreal on Apr. 28, 2010.
    Although complete data is lacking, it appears that the current record was an original NASL game between the Toronto Blizzard and Montreal Maniac in 1981 when 27,060 showed up to the Big O. There were 23,333 at the same fixture the following year.
    The April 7 game between Toronto and Montreal could double the previous high.
    TV numbers for the Montreal v Vancouver game were also good. A record 541,000 watched (253,000 on French language RDS; 288,000 on TSN).
    The average NHL number on TSN only is 707,000 with the CFL averaged 637,000.
    With numbers like that we don’t really need to ask when the sport is going to arrive. It’s here.
    Guest

    Toronto FC sign another centreback

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Toronto FC announced this morning that they had signed 24-year-old centreback Logan Emory.
    Emory's last club was the Puerto Rico Islanders, with whom he played for two seasons.
    The young centreback's signing comes on the heels of Geovanny Caicedo's departure last week. Caicedo was signed along with Miguel Aceval in the offseason as a solution to Toronto's defensive woes. Caicedo failed to register a single minute of league or Champions League play before being released.
    What do you think? Will Toronto have better luck with Emory? Is this a solution to their problems at the back?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    Eight games have passed with lots of stories to tell. Hear our cast of experts who covered games in Seattle, Vancouver, San Jose and Portland, witnessing the Western Conference domination of Eastern Conference clubs.
    Marc Tougas (CP) and Pat Leduc (RDS/LaPresse) returned from Vancouver after the very predictable 2-0 loss for Montreal against the Caps before a very dull crowd at BC Place. Jonathan Tannenwald completed a trio of games in Cascadia and reports from Portland. Lisa Erickson was at the San Jose-New England game and she saw Chris Wondolowski open his account from the get go.
    We also hear from CSN's own Ben Rycroft on TFC's first leg performance in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter final duel with sir David Beckham and his Galaxy sidekicks at Rogers Centre. Hear Ben also on the Reds' chances to progress in that competition.
    After a week off we return to France with Cedric Ferreira who was at the Zenit-Benfica match in Portugal which win led to the Portuguese clubs to overpass the French sides in the UEFA coefficient standings. A very interesting story we hear from our man in Paris.
    All this and more, reminding us to keep a low profile with a 2-6 record on prediction in Week One.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen to this week's show!
    Guest
    Tonight, we're joined by TSN and Oranges at Halftime's Noel Butler, to chat about the Montreal Impact's start, who might be on the horizon as far as designated players and his interview with CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli.
    We'll also look back on the Champions League game at the Rogers Centre - talking about how Frings reserved role contributed to the late goals, look ahead to the return leg in LA on Wednesday - talking about tired legs for LA - and break down Vancouver's and Montreal's performances at First Kick
    The archived show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Our next show will be up Friday.
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:'http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/30110/mar132012final.mp3',initialScale:'scale',controlBarBackgroundColor:'0x778899',autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
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    Guest
    Every team needs an unsung hero. The quiet player that goes under the radar, but who works his socks off week in and week out.
    It's obviously far too early days for us to go proclaiming such the unsung Whitecap, but when has that ever stopped us?! If I was forced to place a bet on who it might be, you have to feel that Jun Marques Davidson could be taking that accolade come the end of the season.
    Well on the one hand he could be, but on the other hand, you also feel that several people will be singing his praises at the same time, so maybe not so much under the radar, as in full view of it.
    The Caps' new defensive midfielder covered a lot of ground, without really venturing into the final third of the pitch against Montreal. Just what you want and need from a DM, and what the Whitecaps were desperately missing last season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    He passed, he moved, he held the game up and provided a strong support for the backline throughout the match, including a vital last man tackle just before half-time, which probably kept us level at the break.
    It was a performance that won him the first 'Man of the Match' award of the season and Martin Rennie acknowledged Davidson's contribution in his post-game press conference:
    <i>"He won 'Man of the Match' and I think he was justified in that selection.
    He's very good on the ball. He controls the tempo of the game and he also wins headers and wins tackles.
    I was very pleased to see him perform to that level. But of course, I've seen him play and I believe he's a guy who could be a very good player for this club."</i>
    Rennie knows Davidson well, having had him for a year in Carolina, before the midfielder decided to go back and ply his trade in Japan.
    When we spoke to Jun after the game, he immediately strikes you as a quiet, thoughtful individual and not one to go around keen to grab the limelight. He has a job to do and he just wants to go on the pitch and do it.
    So how did it feel for him to win 'Man of the Match', and get a victory, in his first game for the Caps? :
    <i>"It felt great. We got the best result that we could get. We got two goals, two fantastic goals, and everyone worked hard and we got a clean sheet. That is very important for the team too, cos that's a basic."</i>
    And if you're looking for an all-round team player, then you've found your man in Davidson, who was keen to view the victory as a team effort more than down to anything his own performance brought about:
    <i>"Personally, I'm very happy to get the 'Man of the Match' but you see all these players that played today. I feel that the 'Man of the Match' was the whole team."</i>
    It's a nice attitude and one which fits in well with the Whitecaps dressing room just now.
    This IS very much a team effort. Martin Rennie has everyone on the same page of the playbook and, for now at least, egos are in check and people are happy and smiling.
    Some players will inevitably stand out and shine as the season goes on and if his performance in his first game is anything to go by, then Jun Marques Davidson could be one of the Whitecaps key players for the season ahead.
    <p>
    Guest
    In my Sober Second Thoughts column following the Galaxy game I made the claim that Toronto FC was now the most popular soccer team in Toronto.
    It’s not a statement that everyone would agree with. Even in a place like T.O., where acceptance to MLS is widespread, there remains a great deal of so-called Eurosnobs – “fans” that will only accept the game as played at its highest level.
    Unsatisfied with his (and it’s almost always a “his”) personal choice, the Eurosnob needs to also judge and deride the fan that does like the local product. To the Eurosnob, liking TFC and MLS is evidence that said fan lacks sophistication. They’re “stupid” for “wasting their time” watching a “pub league”
    Forget that it is normal throughout the world to support both your local team as well as a major club. To the Eurosnob, that doesn’t matter. Only his misguided opinion does.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I digress. The question of whether my claim is true is an interesting one. Although I don’t for a second think that TFC’s support has surpassed the overall support for all major clubs (i.e. there are more soccer fans in the city that consider a European or South American team as the favourite club than there are fans that consider TFC to be their first club)., I do feel that there is now no single club with more support.
    There may be a lot of Liverpool fans in Scallywags on a Saturday morning, or United fans at Main Event, but individually neither fan base matches that of TFC’s.
    Do you agree? Has the acceptance of TFC reached that point yet? Is it the same for the Whitecaps in Vancouver now? Let me know in the comments.
    Guest

    DeKey to Canada's chances

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    DeRo is praying for Canada. And DC United, but for now let’s focus on Canada.
    In a wide reaching interview with the Sporting News, De Rosario talked about his year ahead and where he sees his place in the game now. The question of his alleged poor attitude and prima donna-ness was brought up. As always, he said he was misunderstood and that he just wanted to be respected.
    You can read the full interview, which is mostly MLS focused, here. In it, DeRo says that this summer’s qualifying games are “more than huge.” An obvious statement, but one that is nice to hear DeRo say.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It’s a message many don’t want to hear, but DeRo is disrespected by many. Early in his MLS career he was criminally underpaid and he is the subject of borderline irrational criticism by fans of the Canadian national team.
    Despite being a regular contributor to the cause for years, some national team supporters can’t get past the fact that he asked to be left out of the Gold Cup roster in 2009 – the useless version of the competition where there is nothing on the line but pride and a player’s place in his club team.
    Criticism of DeRo at that time was mostly split along club loyalty lines. The man is from Toronto, after all. Regional pettiness runs deep in Canada.
    If you were to have a look at the Voyageur discussion boards you would see a great deal of people advocating for DeRo to play a limited role in Canada’s World Cup qualifying attempts. To those fans, leaving one of the most dynamic offensive players in MLS history out of the line-up makes more sense than trying to find a way for the national team to get him better service.
    Those fans also believe to the depth of their souls that DeRo doesn’t give the national team his full effort. They take isolated moments from a game and extrapolate them over a full 90 – full career, really.
    The accusations are baseless, of course. There are things to critique about his game, but effort is not one.
    The bottom line for Canada is that it needs DeRo to match his MLS output if it is to have any chance of advancing.
    Period.
    End of story.
    Guest

    Whitecaps Marvel At BC Place Atmosphere

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    The atmosphere inside BC Place yesterday was electric for Vancouver Whitecaps opening day win against Montreal.
    The passion of Canadian football fans has been very evident these last few days, from the 47,658 at Toronto's Skydome on Wednesday to the football-configured capacity 21,000 in Vancouver on Saturday.
    It's been a noisy week, with a lot of hoarse voices by the end of it.
    We reported a few days ago <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2911-New-Whitecaps-Impressed-By-BC-Place" target="_blank"> how impressed some of the new Whitecaps players were when they saw BC Place for the first time at training on Thursday</a>, and the marvel continued for many after experiencing their first game at the stadium.
    For new boss Martin Rennie, both his team and the fans were praised in his post-match presser. So how did he find the occasion of his first MLS match in charge? :
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <i>"Fantastic. I've been waiting a long time to have a game in front of the fans and to finally get it, it was beyond expectations. I hope we gave them a good show and I hope that they'll be back the next couple of weeks for the game against DC United.
    I hope we can put on another show and get similar support, which was fantastic and is a big part of this club.
    As the fan support grows, and the team grows confidence wise, this can be a much stronger club and that's exciting for all of us."</i>
    There were six debutants for the Caps against Montreal, so AFTN caught up with some Whitecaps, both old and new, in the dressing room after the game to see how they found the whole atmosphere of 'First Kick 2012'.
    Sebastien Le Toux made a dream start, opening his Whitecaps account with a goal after just four minutes. The Frenchman is used to playing in front of noisy crowds. What did he think of BC Place in comparison? :
    <i>"The atmosphere was great. I was a bit surprised by the big megatron on top because I was sometimes trying to look for the minute of the game and I was always in the middle, so I can't even see, so I was trying to run and look at it.
    The fans were fantastic. The fans behind the goal were cheering all day.
    I'm just lucky to play in this stadium all the time. The fans were great. They were great in Seattle, they were great in Philly and I can see in Vancouver it's the same. For a player it's just wonderful. It keeps me going and I don't get tired, so I thank them for coming today."</i>
    'Man of the Match', Jun Marques Davidson, was another debutant who made an impression and he echoed Le Toux's sentiments:
    <i>"It's great. Hopefully as we win more, we can put more people in the top area and make the full atmosphere. It's an amazing atmosphere to play in."</i>
    Substitute Matt Watson is used to playing in lower league stadia and he loved every minute of his Whitecaps debut out there, after coming on in the 81st minute:
    <i>"It was amazing. Obviously I've never experienced anything like that.
    The fans seemed to be behind the team for the whole time and when I came on I was kind of blown away by the atmosphere and everything.
    When I came on the pitch, my adrenaline was going and stuff. To hear them chanting and that, it was amazing. It was kind of overwhelming, but obviously once you get on, the adrenaline just takes over and you just gotta play.
    The fans are amazing and it's an amazing club. Glad we could get the win for them and hopefully it continues."</i>
    Sometimes the noise generated at BC Place doesn't fully come across on the TV, due to the muting of mics during parts of the game. For those of us in the stadium it is loud as hell. The "booms" at Joe Cannon free kicks were echoing like crazy Saturday, but on the other hand, sometimes it is hard for chants in one part of the stadium to carry even just a few sections over.
    We'll leave the final words to captain Jay DeMerit. He experienced the Vancouver atmospheres at Empire Field and BC Place stadiums last season, but playing in front of a fired up crowd never gets old for the veteran:
    <i>"It was good. It was very good. BC Place is a stadium that is only going to keep getting better.
    The times when we can get the fans on the same page, you can hear the noise.
    Now it's just our job, all of us, from the players down to the fans to start learning some new chants, to start getting together and make sure we're all yelling at the same time, then I think it'll be even better."</i>
    <p>
    Guest
    Canada fell 2-1 to the United States in the final of the CONCACAF u20 women’s tournament.
    It was a heartbreaking end to the game, with the American’s capitalizing on some sloppy defending to score the winner in the 89th minute.
    Canada held a 1-0 lead for the majority of the game, but was burned by playing too deep too soon. The Canucks looked solid when moving forward so it was a shame that they chose to sit back.
    All is not lost however. Canada had already qualified for the World Cup, which is in Japan this summer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    'First Kick' is in the record books. Three points, a clean sheet, a debut goal for Sebastien Le Toux and a winning start for Martin Rennie's Whitecaps era.
    If you were writing the script the night before, you wouldn't have gone down a much different path than this. Maybe add in a few more goals and some Montreal red cards, but all in all it was a very pleasing afternoon.
    There were a lot of positives to take from the match, but, strange as this will sound to some, one of the most pleasing aspects of the performance for me was that the 2012 Whitecaps are still very much a work in progress.
    If we'd got off to a flyer, winning by five goals, everything clicking in to place, total domination, then where do you go from there? How do you keep the players' feet firmly routed on the ground for the long season ahead? How do you stave off the media hype and fan expectations?
    Instead we had a hard fought victory against a Montreal side that gave a better account of themselves than I expected.
    And there was room for improvements.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    So nothing for us to be getting too carried away with just yet, as Head Coach Martin Rennie acknowledged after the match:
    <i>"It's a great three points for us, but at the end of the day, that's all it really is so far, three points."</i>
    Nice to have a bit of grounding in the team this season.
    I had hoped for more goals. I'm sure a lot of us did. We looked dangerous going forward, but Montreal defended resolutely for most of the game and it was two defensive lapses that led to the Caps goals.
    As long as we can break down defences at least once a game, I'd happily take 1-0 and 2-0 wins all season. But can we do that and can we do that away from home in particular? What happens when we don't get the breaks? How will team react? Will they have the fight to grind out wins? These are all questions we'll see answered soon enough.
    The build up play for both goals was delightful. We're building from the back a lot and already knocking the ball around the full width of the pitch to good effect. So many neat, first time touches too.

    Sebastien Le Toux had a blinding debut, and his fourth minute goal was the fastest goal to open a MLS season so far.
    He adds a leadership quality on the pitch and works as hard off the ball, as on it, covering a lot of ground and filling any gaps as players rush forward or defend.
    Eric Hassli may not have found his way onto the scoresheet , but was fundamental in both goals, although he only gets the credit of one assist, having been hacked down in the build up to the second one.
    Rennie has been telling us that he wants to work on Hassli's aerial threat and we already saw that come good with a lovely flick on for Le Toux's opening goal.
    They're going to form a formidable partnership as the season goes on. There was a little bit of rustiness yesterday, understandable considering the pair didn't play a match together down in Orlando, but there was even more understanding between them and that bodes very well for the weeks and months ahead.
    When speaking to Le Toux after the match he was saying how nice it was to be able to speak French to Hassli during the game. I'm sure the Montreal fans would love such a pairing!
    Camilo was just Camilo. I personally regard him as the key to our attack. Sure Le Toux will bury the chances, but the Brazilian is key to him getting a lot of them this year and it was a nicely taken goal to ease the nerves in BC Place.
    I would have loved to have seen what damage Darren Mattocks could have done to a tiring Montreal defence. He drew a foul within 30 seconds of coming on. Bringing him on in the 89th minute wasn't the most magical MLS debut for the guy, but he'll get his chances to shine.
    You just know he would have been so fired up to play against Montreal and I think he would have got more time on the pitch if Vancouver hadn't reacted the way they did after going two up, as Martin Rennie explained post-game:
    <i>"After we scored the second goal we were a little bit nervous and maybe could have calmed down a little bit quicker. But once we got calm and kept possession of the ball, I thought we managed it well and didn't give up too many chances after that."</i>
    The Impact contested the game well for long periods, but definitely seemed to lack the firepower up front and the organisation at the back to be anything but basement dwellers this year.
    They were somewhat fortunate to finish the game with eleven men. Felipe Martins should have picked up a second yellow for a late foul.
    There is the groundings for a potentially not bad side though and if it weren't for goal-line clearances from Tyson Wahl and Davy Arnaud efforts, who knows what the result might have been.
    The Caps defence looked solid, but Montreal did get past the centre half pairing a few times. I still think that needs a little bit of work. It was great having Jun Marques Davidson ready to be there for the last man tackle.
    Y-P Lee had an excellent game and gets up and down that right wing like a train. He really is an immense pick up for us.
    I liked what I saw of Matt Watson in the few minutes he got on the pitch. I would still like to see what he can offer in the middle instead of Gershon Koffie, who looked a little out of place at times yesterday without the guiding hand of a veteran like Peter Vagenas alongside of him.
    There is still a little worry about the centre of the park and that is a weakness that faster, more dangerous teams will exploit. There were a few sloppy passes all round yesterday.
    It was nice to see Bryce Alderson on the bench for his first match as a MLS player. I know the injuries to John Thorrington, Michael Nanchoff and Atiba Harris forced Rennie's hand there, but what an experience that was for the young Canadian.
    So all in all, a good day's work at the office. Next week should provide a slightly tougher test on the pitch, but with the Caps having no wins on the road last season, how they perform against Chivas could give us an indication of just how far they've come.
    It's good to be back to real action and a win just makes it all the sweeter. Two for two anyone?
    'Mon the Caps.
    <center>*******************</center>
    <b><u>AFTN 3-2-1:</u></b>
    Having done this for years, on both sides of the Atlantic, I should probably pony up for a trophy on the Whitecaps side this season, to match the East Fife award.
    For those new to the site/award, we give three points to who we feel is the best Whitecaps player of the game, two for the second best, and then one for the third. Points are tallied up at the end of the season and we have a winner!
    We introduced it to the Southsiders two years ago too, so now there's two such awards kicking around. So much silverware for the players to win this season!
    So kicking off our first 3-2-1 for 2012....
    3 points - ALAIN ROCHAT (Rennie has unleashed an even more attacking side of his game. One of most dangerous attacking threats yesterday.)
    2 points - SEBASTIEN LE TOUX (Fantastic debut. Worked hard both on and off the ball. First goal of many.)
    1 point - Y-P Lee (Had a very solid game at the back and did well going forward. Important goal-line clearance too.)
    <p>
    Guest

    Here we go!

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Never a loss was so sweet for Montreal fans. At least it was in MLS this time.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You can't say I did not tell you the Whitecaps would win this one by a pair of goals. It was one of my rare good prediction of the day (the only one of five calls where I ended up with the right side and right spread). The Caps were opportunistics, while Montreal's strikers were not. Montreal did create some scoring opportunities, but they never benefited from them while Vancouver made Montreal look really bad on both goals.
    First a tic-tac-toe play from the middle of their own zone led to a LeToux breakaway against Ricketts. Tyson Wahl's hesitation costed him and his team dearly and Ricketts did not look like the season and successful veteran we were told about on the Frenchman's shot which helped him opening his scoring account much earlier than last season in Philly.
    Three minutes in and one goal behind. Far from a dream start for Montreal's XI.
    Missed opportunities will be an overused expression by the end of the month for the Impact while Camilo served a double espresso to Ferrari in the second half to double the hosts' lead on a great individual play.
    On the positive (sic) side of things: Justin Braun did good on the left, Nyassi did display great speed, but did a great Peter Byers impression in the second half when he spun the ball way over the goal from the penalty point. Davy Arnaud wasted a few passes directly to opponents, but did great on a half volley from the top of the box sending the ball just over the bar, forcing a corner kick and Justin Mapp had an interesting shot, but missed the mark.
    At the end of the night, Montreal found itself on the losing side, but eh!!! Only halfway of the Reds' humiliation on last year's first kick match at Empire Stadium.
    It's a long season and Jesse Marsch & co will have to use this to continue build a team that is still a bunch of individual players learning to play together.
    Let's be patient and it'll take us less than six seasons to make it on the list of playoffs hopefuls.
    The hope now is that the +55K that I expect filling the Big O next Saturday will fuel the club's first MLS win over Chicago next Saturday.
    Guest
    Recorded live, in front of a studio audience, we bring you episode ten of our West Coast Soccer Weekly podcast.
    We're coming from the Southsiders pre-season party.
    It's like a new show. No mentions of hotdogs or Chelsea Stewart, just a boisterous crowd of Whitecaps fans at a packed Cellar in Doolins Irish Pub in downtown Vancouver.
    We'll warn you in advance that the sound isn't fanatastic. There's background noise and we were recording from what came out of the speakers and unable to record straight to computer on the night. You'll get the gist though, if you listen really carefully!
    Our guests this week don't come much bigger in Whitecapsland than Club President Bobby Lenarduzzi and Head Coach Martin Rennie.
    We talk past, present and future as we look forward to Saturday's 'First Kick' against Montreal, the promising season ahead, expectations, the Voyageurs Cup and just who would win between Bobby's 1979 Soccer Bowl winning team and Martin Rennie's current squad.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You can listen to this week's podcast (and the previous ones) on iTunes HERE or download it for your later listening delight HERE. Can't wait? Have a listen on one of the players below:
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    Guest

    Sober Second Thoughts: Toronto's team

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Walking into Rogers Centre Wednesday night was a jarring experience. Normally charmless and lifeless the building Cito Gaston built was vibrating with excitement.
    Across the far side was a canopy of red and white. Large tifo displays were intersected with flags of all sizes being waved frantically. Streamers floated above, thrown from all corners.
    A man in his mid-50s stood beside me. Without a hint of irony he looked at me and said “It looks like we’re at the San Siro.”
    At that moment, in that place, it hardly mattered if he was right or if he was guilty of the most extreme form of hyperbole. It felt like we were at the San Siro. Or the Nou Camp. Azteca. Bernabéu. At any of the sport’s cathedrals, really.
    It felt that we finally belonged in the narrative that is the world’s game. After years of sharing other’s glory, the self-proclaimed most multicultural city in the world was finally having a day of its own. Toronto had finally fully matured as a soccer city with a big stadium full of fans.
    Fans cheering for the home team.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    That’s remarkable. The only time more had gathered in the city to watch 22 men in short pants chase a ball it was one of those pre-season kick-abouts between Celtic and Manchester United. Those type of games are now played in a half full BMO Field. The local side gets the prime space.
    By the time Luis Silva had sent the crowd into a frenzy with his first career goal and a 2-0 lead for TFC any lingering questions about the long-term acceptance of our deeply flawed club had been answered. The Reds are part of this city now and this is a city that loves soccer.
    All for One is no longer a slogan; it’s reality. Celtic fans really do stand beside Rangers, United and City put aside their differences and there are no El Clasico battles in the stands. By a rough estimate there were less than 25 people in the crowd of 47,500 wearing LA Galaxy strips. Most were out on a school night.
    The most popular team in Toronto is now, clearly, Toronto.
    If the Reds can replicate their performance from the first 20 minutes of the game all season that connection will grow even stronger.
    The game itself was what you might have expected going in. The Galaxy are the defending champions of MLS for a reason and they are a more talented side than TFC right now. However, the energy of the occasion helped Toronto narrow the gap. In the end 2-2 was likely reflective of the game.
    The second leg will be a challenge, but Toronto is still in with a chance. It’s pretty clear that if you had asked anyone last summer if they would have taken a one off game to get to the semi-final of the CONCACAF Champions League – even on the road against Team Beckham --- they would have been all over it.
    Next Wednesday will be about the result. Last Wednesday, however, was about something more.
    It was about answering the few remaining anti-soccer critics one final time – The sport and the team are not going anywhere. It’s here to stay and has been for a long time.
    All for One, indeed.
    Guest

    Next stop Japan

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Canadian u20 women are going back to the World Cup.
    The young Canucks booked their trip to Japan with a 6-0 win over host country Panama tonight in the semi-final of the CONCACAF Championship. The win erased memories of two years ago, when Caroline Morace’s reputation took an early and mostly unnoticed hit when she failed to lead the u20s to the World Cup for the first time in the program's history.
    It’s been an impressive tournament so far for Canada. Including tonight, they have scored 14 goals while allowing none. In addition to Panama, they have beaten Jamaica, Haiti and Mexico.
    Canada plays the United States for the confederation title on Sunday. Panama plays Mexico for the final CONCACAF World Cup spot.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    <i>We've added a new writer to AFTN and his first piece appears today.
    Steve Pandher is a long time Whitecaps fan, who has written his own blog, <a href="http://whitecapsbeat.blogspot.com" target="_blank">The Whitecaps Beat</a>, for a while now, and is also a Vancouver correspondent on <a href="http://www.prostamerika.com" target="_blank">Prost Amerika</a>.
    Steve will be handling all of our match previews, in his own unique style, kicking off with his thoughts on tomorrow's 'First Kick' against Montreal...</i>
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    Eric Hassli- The Whitecaps are hoping their original Designated Player, who had a quiet preseason, can build on last year and avoid the disciplinary issues. With all the additional firepower that is now part of the roster, Eric Hassli will not be relied on so much for goals or creativity this season. Against the Impact, the Frenchman will play against a newly formed backline and look to create space for the other attackers to make their runs. Martin Rennie spoke highly of Hassli yesterday and the progress he feels he has made in training camp, especially adding a missing aerial threat to his game.
    Sanna Nyassi- Goals are expected to be at a premium for the Impact and the club will have to rely on a combined effort. One of those players could be Sanna Nyassi, who was picked from Colorado in the expansion draft. The Gambian international scored five times last season, all coming after he was moved to the striker’s position, filling in for Conner Casey.
    DEFENCE
    YP Lee- The addition of Lee YP to Vancouver’s backline is a major upgrade over who played the right back position last season. The World Cup veteran will be able to provide skill and experience, whether he is defending or pushing forward on the attack. The Impact can be considered dangerous on the wings, with players like Mapp and Neagle, which will be a solid first test for Lee in MLS.
    Tyson Wahl- The Montreal Impact will look to former Sounder Tyson Wahl to provide needed leadership to their brand new backline. Normally a fullback, Wahl is by far the most experienced MLS defender on the Impact and will be asked to play as a central defender. Another big role for him will be to help guide his partner Matteo Ferrari in his first MLS season.
    WHO'S ON FORM
    Sebestien Le Toux- The Whitecaps brought Sebestien Le Toux to add a different dynamic to their group of strikers and he hasn’t disappointed so far this pre-season. In the five official preseason games the Whitecaps have scored 8 goals with Le Toux on the pitch, as opposed to 2 goals when he was on the bench.
    Patrice Bernier- The Canadian international and Quebec native was brought in to provide a connection between the club and the community, but he is proving his value on the pitch as well. While his main duty will be as a holding midfielder, Patrice Bernier isn’t shy from making a number of runs at goal while also being a threat taking corners and free kicks.
    <b>2011 RECORD :</b>

    6W-10D-18L
    18th in MLS
    Missed the Playoff

    9W-8D-11L
    7th in NASL
    Missed the Playoffs

    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>
    Ricketts; Gardner, Wahl, Ferrarri, Valentin, Mapp, Arnaud, Bernier, Neagle, Nyassi, Braun
    Cannon; Lee, DeMerit, Bonjour, Bonjour; Chiumiento, Davidson, Koffie, Camilo; LeToux, Hassli
    <b>INJURIES :</b>

    • Etienne Barbara (Out - groin)
    • Floyd Franks (Questionable - lower back)
    • Atiba Harris (Out - knee)
    • Brian Sylvestre (Out - knee)
    • John Thorrington (Out - quad)

    • Davy Arnaud (Questionable - thigh)
    • Gienir Garcia (Out - ankle)
    • Evan Jame (Out - ankle)
    • Nelson Rivas (Out - hamstring)
    • Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Out - knee)
    <b>GAME PREDICTION :</b>
    The Vancouver Whitecaps are looking to get off to a similar start to last season, an opening day win over a Canadian rival at home. The only difference this season is there is a much longer and sordid history between these two combatants. Also the Caps supporters' hatred for the Impact has little to do with geography and more to do with that history.
    Since the first post season camp, when Martin Rennie took over, there has been a slow buildup towards this date, adding piece by piece. The improvements are clear to see, based on preseason, with a much more dynamic attack, a sound defensive system, and an improved starting eleven, along with depth through the entire roster.
    In front of Joe Cannon, who returns for his second season, the Caps have a backline consisting of two World Cup starters in Lee Young-Pyo and Jay DeMerit, one of the better left backs in MLS with Alain Rochat, and a big, mobile central defender in Martin Bonjour.
    With John Thorrington still nursing a quad injury, expect Gershon Koffie to pair up with Jun Marques Davidson as the central midfield pair, with Camilo and Davide Chiumiento manning the wing positions.
    Up front Sebestien Le Toux will slip behind target man Eric Hassli and form one of the strongest striking duos in MLS, with a fired up Darren Mattocks waiting in reserve, and an outside chance for even starting the game.
    For the most part Martin Rennie will look to three players to run the attack against Montreal, as Le Toux will most likely take control of the middle. Pushing on the outside will be fullbacks Lee and Rochat. This should help get Eric Hassli better quality service, something that was lacking last season on a regular basis. With the fullbacks regularly moving forward, expect the two wingers to move inside, closer to the box, putting more pressure on the Impact's backline.
    When defending, Rennie has emphasized to have the opponent with the ball directed wide, using the sidelines as an extra defender. If the Impact do get the ball into the middle of the pitch they will have to deal with the central midfield duo of Davidson and Koffie. Both players have a high ability to breakdown the opposition’s attack and win the ball back. There is still a little work to do with newly formed pair of DeMerit and Bonjour, and their ability to work together, as there have been some breakdowns in the preseason.
    A definite advantage for the Caps will be the crowd noise, which will give a boost to the players on the pitch. While their opponents have improved as the preseason has advanced, this match will be the first the Impact play as a unit against a very hostile crowd.
    With this in mind, it would be considered a major upset if the Caps don't come away from the match with the full three points and a win by at least a couple of goals.
    AFTN Prediction: Vancouver Whitecaps 3 Montreal Impact 0
    <center>********************</center>
    <i>For those of you that weren't readers of AFTN last season, just to let you know that we won't be doing match reports for most of the games this season, but we will do our "In The Cold Light Of Day" analysis feature later on matchday evenings or the following day.
    If you want to read match reports for all the Whitecaps games, you can find my reports over on <a href="http://www.prostamerika.com" target="_blank">Prost Amerika</a>.</i>
    <p>
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